Mumsnet live chat - Zita West
This is an edited transcript of our live online chat with Zita West, a practicing midwife, acupuncturist and nutritional advisor. She worked in the NHS for over 20 years and then in 2002, she set up the Zita West clinic, a multi-disciplinary practice that uses evidence-based complementary therapies for fertility and pregnancy.
ZitaWest: Hello everyone. Thanks so much for inviting me - delighted to be here, and thank you for all your questions. I will try to answer as many as I can but am of course limited with the time allowed. Thanks again...
CathKidston: Hi Zita I'm 4 months pregnant with my first and am very anxious about the birth - I know from what I've read that if I'm stressed and anxious, this is only going to make things worse. How can I best prepare myself for this?
I've heard that analogy that having a baby is a bit like planning a wedding - the birth is the wedding day and the baby itself is the marriage - I feel like the birth is only one part of it but I seem most worried about that.
Any advice gratefully received.
ZitaWest: Hi Cathkidston
First pregnancies are an anxious time for many women. Especially when you hear everyone else's horror stories. The best way to help with anxiety is to be able to talk. So it's important that you make contact with your midwife and talk through your fears. If that's not available for you then consider counselling via your GP or privately. Being prepared and understanding the process is also important so good antenatal classes will help you with this. You could also try relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation or hypnosis, which is used a lot for preparation for birth these days.
willow: Is there any hope for you if you've been diagnosed with premature ovarian failure?
ZitaWest: Hi Willow. I am the eternal optimist but also a realist. I have seen some women who have been diagnosed and have to say in a few cases they have gone on to conceive. Others have considered egg donation. You want to feel that you've done everything you can so I look at lifestyle, emotional wellbeing and counselling but of course every case is different.
willow: Thanks Zita - have thyroid problem and, by look of things, reactive hypolgycemia too - specialist has told me that am a bit of a mess genetically and that these things often go hand in hand, so won't hold my breath.
yogabug: Dear Zita
I am almost 45 years old (next week!) but that negative fact aside, I am very fit, very healthy and people say I look half my age! I have a lovely 6 year old daughter and would love to have another baby. My history: (in brief, however traumatic) is: 4 1/2 years ago I found myself pregnant; husband and I chose to have a termination. Then 2 1/2 years ago I found myself pregnant again (this time I felt happier about the pregnancy but my husband didn't). Unfortunately I became very ill with hyperemesis gravidarium and ended up in hospital. There I went through hell with having to decide what to do. I chose to have a termination - mainly because I was frightened of being so ill and wasn't thinking right. Since then I've managed to move on but unfortunately without a clear conscience - I still have moments of deep sadness, regret and guilt. Last year I got pregnant again but unfortunately had a 'missed miscarriage' (no heartbeat at 11 1/2 wks). I was heartbroken. But...I'm not giving up and have an inner belief that I CAN have another baby.
I have monthly acupuncture and I'm just about to start some hypnotherapy. Zita, is there anything you can personally advise or suggest...in any way. I will do anything (except IVF - my husband won't spend that sort of money on something he feels should be 'natural). PS. I've never smoked, I've given up drink now since 2 months, I practice yoga and eat very healthily. I would appreciate your help so much as I feel under so much pressure because of my age. Thank you.
ZitaWest: Hi yogabug
I'm sorry to hear your history. Age is a big factor here but having said that you have conceived quite recently. The terminations you've had have affected you on a deep level and I think it would be very useful for you to have some counselling or hypnotherapy to try and help you move on. This is not uncommon. So many women I see at the clinic have experienced the same thing but a good counsellor will help you find a way forward. IVF is not an option for you as the success rates are very low for women your age. Your best chance is if you can is to try to get pregnant naturally. Your belief that you can get pregnant is very powerful and positive.
myboyjack: I have a wonderful DS who's nearly two but I've had miscarriages in the past and I'm almost scared of trying again. I don't want to go into the long details but I've found it hard to get pregnant. So then the roller coaster of emotions when I'm falling pregnant and then the grief of discovering that the little bean has not held on is just too much to bear.
Is there ANYTHING I can do to prevent m/c and help myself carry a much-wanted second baby to term?
ZitaWest: Hi myboyjack
Miscarriages are really tough to go through. Many of the women that I see in my miscarriage clinic have lost confidence and feel their lives are on hold. We see them from when they are five and a half minutes pregnant and they are very anxious and need a lot of support. You need to be properly investigated - the science in this area has improved greatly but sadly the options available vary from hospital trust to hospital trust so this can be out of your control which is frustrating. What is in control is your diet, your lifestyle and to keep trying and staying positive.
Luella: Zita, just to say a big thanks to you. I had IVF after 4 years of ttc, which fortunately worked first time and resulted in our beautiful dd (nearly 2). When dd was about a year old, I found myself really wanting another baby, but reluctant to put myself through IVF again, so I got your book, 'Zita West's Guide to Getting Pregnant'. I found it so reassuring and so inspiring and so full of common sense, that it gave me confidence in my body. So I started eating healthily, put myself and DH on vitamin supplements, and most importantly enjoyed sex and stopped worrying about it all. I'm now nearly 38 weeks pregnant with no. 2. So Thank You!!!
ZitaWest: Hi Luella
What wonderful feedback - thank you. There are so many elements to getting pregnant but often it is an unconscious thing - the more conscious you make it the harder it becomes. Have a great birth!
Coggy: Hurrah! What a fantastic woman to have on grin.
Sadly I shall be at work...but...
I and DH are 36.
TTC for 5 years, 3 cycles of clomid = DS (sadly stillborn through a knot in his cord)
Now been TTC again for 2 1/2 years.
After reading Zita's books I started charting/ noticing CM etc. and discovered I have a LP of only 8 or 9 days (which I have been told several times is not a problem or issue in our fertility problems).
I have finished 3 more clomids, 3 IUI cycles and I am going to have my one and only 'allowed' (NHS) IVF next month.
What natural things can we do to help us if the IVF doesn't work - obviously I can get pg and have a healthy pg so this is all rather frustrating and depressing now!
The doctors/consultants just say that IUI and IVF are our best bet....but that is no use if they don't work is it?
Thanks Zita.
ZitaWest: Hi Coggy
What a sad history. In my experience everyone deals with grief differently. I know it's five years since this happened but one of first questions I would ask a client with your history is 'do you think the loss is effecting your ability to conceive this time'. Cycles change and vary for a number of reasons - stress, anxiety, lifestyle and weight all have their impact as well. It might be worth looking at the whole picture of what's happening in your life and tackle the areas that are appropriate to you (regarding grief/stress/lifestyle factors/emotions). It is only then you will be able to move on and do IVF. It is really tragic what happened to your baby but remember it is extremely unlikely that such a terrible event could happen again.
Hulababy: I am 34 and have one child already. I had some problems conceiving her - 15 months of TTC, early mc, and then another 15 months of TTC.
I am currently having treatment for Asherman's Syndrome - adhesions on the uterus, caused by my emergency c-section back in April 2002. I have had one hysteroscopy with laser removal 2 months ago, and due to have a second to remove the remaining adhesions on 30 November.
I would really like to have a second child, if the consultant can give me the go head following my treatment. My daughter is now 5.5 years old, and we had been TTC for a long time prior to my diagnosis.
Can you recommend any therapies or advice to help increase my chances of conceiving again once my treatment is complete?
Thank you.
ZitaWest: Hi Hulababy
This must be hard for you. I have treated many women with Ashermans Syndrome and do Acupuncture treatment to increase blood flow to the area. Plus we recommend nutritional therapy aimed at building up the uterine lining plus we would use pro-biotics for you because of the anti-biotic use. However everyone is different and has different nutritional requirements. I hope this helps.
twixfits: We've been ttc for ten months now and doing all the "right things", folic acid for me, zinc and boxers for DP and I've worked really hard to lose some weight so my BMI is now in the normal range (though I'm still no size 10 lol)
What I'm really missing is wine.
What I want to know is what's the best thing to do on this? There's so much conflicting advice on alcohol. TTC and the angry and sad when we get another BFN makes us so tense. Sometimes I think a glass of wine would help us unwind but I don't want to harm our chances and so have been strict on this.
On the other hand, sex is becoming such a chore and I miss the days when we used to have a takeaway and some wine and fall into bed and sex was fun.
Is it better to have stress free sex or to stay off the booze?
I'd love to hear your views.
I'm 28 btw and DP is 30.
ZitaWest: Hi twixfits
When you are pregnant all alcohol should stop (whatever the research says). But the odd glass of good wine when you are trying is not going to affect your chances. However I would stay off it around ovulation. Without a doubt sex does become mechanical when you are trying for a baby. I hate to say this ladies, but 'Don't tell your partner every minute detail of what's going in your body. He doesn't need to know what your secretions are like! It can be a complete turn off which can cause a lot of pressure.
deenymcqueenygoreandguts: Do I HAVE to go organic when ttc? Can I eat "normal" stuff?
Thank you x
ZitaWest: Hello deenymqueeny
You don't have to eat all organic to conceive. It's so expensive and not everyone can afford it. I often wonder with some of the organic produce you buy is actually organic! The best thing is to eat fresh food without additives, buy it locally and frequently. So many of the women I see worry that if they've eaten a non-organic pea that's the reason they're not conceiving! It's all about moderation and I believe a little of what you fancy does you good so don't deny yourself everything.
julesd2808: I am almost 35, and really want to get pregnant again soon, but I am still breastfeeding my little boy (12 months) twice a day at 7am and 7pm, and my periods have not returned.
Is it because I am still breastfeeding that my periods have not returned? Could it be another reason? Does it mean that I am definitely not ovulating if I am not having periods, and therefore cannot get pregnant?
Is the best course of action to reduce my feeding even further to one and then no feeds over the next few months, so that hopefully my periods return ASAP? Are you most fertile when your periods first return?
Thank you so much for your help.
ZitaWest: Hi Jules, Fertility is greatly reduced during breast-feeding. The breast-feeding hormone prolactin keeps the ovaries suppressed, preventing ovulation. As the number of breast-feeds is reduced (during weaning) then over time the ovaries will become more active again allowing ovulation to happen and fertility to return. Although it is possible to get pregnant while still breast-feeding, for many women fertility does not return until after breast-feeding has been stopped completely and often for a month or so later.
Breast-feeding twice a day is quite likely to mean that you are still producing enough of the breast-feeding hormone to be suppressing your ovulation. Some women will ovulate before they have their first period after breast-feeding, but it is quite possible to have a period without ovulating. It can take several cycles after stopping breast-feeding for full fertility to return. So the answer is - if you want to conceive as soon as possible - you may need to reduce your breast-feeds further. Try cutting down to one feed per day. This may be enough to allow return of fertility. If not - then cut out the final feed. It may still take several months to conceive after stopping breast-feeding - again this is completely normal.
Check that your weight is within normal limits (not significantly higher or lower than when you conceived before) as this can be another reason for delayed fertility after breast-feeding. If you are concerned - then do discuss this with your doctor.
OliviaMumsnet: Hi everyone, I know that Zita has appointments for the rest of the day, so will have to go soon. We're sorry that time hasn't allowed for all of these questions to be answered, although with such specific questions, it's very hard for her to answer them all.
I'd like to take this opportunity to say a huge thanks to Zita again for her time today.
ZitaWest: So sorry I couldn't answer all of your questions but thanks so much for your posts.
I wish you all well. Love Zita x